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Post by chefmate on Mar 15, 2009 11:11:22 GMT
Retro British sodas hit U.S. shores Jon Bonné
Sunday, March 15, 2009
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Its original ceramic jars are no more, but the British brand Fentimans has hit these shores with bottles of its very old-fashioned ginger beer.
Unlike most sodas, Fentimans, first established in 1905 and revitalized in 1992 by the founder's great-grandson, uses as a base a mix of ginger, water, sugar and yeast, fermented for about a week to about 1.5 percent alcohol; added flavorings bring the final alcohol under 0.5 percent (hence, technically, a soft drink). U.S. production began last November in Pennsylvania.
Our first bottle of ginger beer tasted a touch underpowered on the ginger side, but a second had proper bite - and was drier than most ginger beers. That ginger kick and dry profile also provided a pleasant edge to the Curiosity Cola.
A surprise hit came from the non-gingery Shandy. This mix of would-be beer - final fermentation is halted early - and lemon juice found a perfect balance of upfront malt and tart citrus. $8-$10/four-pack at Bi-Rite Market, Fog City News and some Draeger's.
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